Sunday, December 16, 2012

Celebrating the good things

By: Joelle Charbonneau

Today is my son’s fifth birthday.It amazes me to think how fast those years
have gone and how much he has changed in that short time.Each milestone—walking, talking, reading,
writing—have been joys to celebrate.I
appreciate each day with him even when I feel like the world’s worst parent.

After the horrific events of this past week, it is easy to
cast blame and look for answers.I have
seen calls for more gun control.I have
seen other calls for all teachers to have weapons in schools.People say God is to blame.Others say the lack of God in our schools and
in many lives is the culprit.There will
be more of those calls to action and pointing of fingers in the weeks and
months ahead.But while the action or
inaction our society takes is important, there is something more important we
can do.We can celebrate the good in
today.Celebrate the joys of life both
big and small.Celebrate watching a
movie with family or going out to lunch with friends.Celebrate snow falling or being somewhere in
which the weather laughs at the mere thought of snow.Celebrate birthdays, all of the winter
holidays and the New Year.Not just go
through the motions of wrapping presents and baking cookies, but do all of it
(even the stuff that makes you want to tear your hair our) with a sense of
joy.

It is easy to yell and scream and cry.I have shed my share of tears.But today I will celebrate what life is about.I will remember that each moment is precious
and hold my family close.I will smile
and laugh and say a prayer that the families who were devastated this week will
one day find peace.And that day by day,
week by week, year by year they will find a reason to celebrate life again.

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DO SOME DAMAGE

Do Some Damage is a group of crime writers, each with a different voice and something to say. From grizzled vets to grizzly rooks, they pull back the curtain on the way the industry works. Whether beating deadlines or beating characters, each week they share their thoughts on reading, writing, plot, voice and all the sordid junk that goes through a writer’s brain.